Process of producing acrylic acid esters



Patented June 28, 1932 I l I p I UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER BAUER, OF DARMSTADT, GERMANY, -.-A.SSIGNOR TO BOHI & HAAS unim- GESELLSOHAFT, OF DARMS'IADT, GERMANY, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY PROCESS OF PRODUCING ACRYLIC ACID ESTERS I No Drawing. Application filed June 18, 1929, Serial No. 871,966, and in Germany I 11y 80, 1938.

My invention relates to esters and consists in a'new process of producing acrylic acid esters.

Because of the sensitiveness of the ester group, it has, heretofore, been impossible to Y produce from beta-halogenated carboxylic acid esters by alkali metal hydroxides unsaturated esters.

Now, I have discovered that acrylic acid esters, in spite of the great sensitiveness of the ester group, can be produced from beta- I halogenated propionic acid esters by the action thereon of alkali metal hydroxides with good results, and further, I have found that together with the action of the alkalis,

it is advantageous to use alcohol as a solvent. The new process is carried out without any supply of heat. The occurring heat of reaction is removed by cooling. With sensitive esters one preferably operates at temperatures below room temperature.

Emample 13.65 kilograms of beta-chlorpropionic acid ethyl ester are treated with 20 kilo-- grams of 20% alcoholic soda lye at room temperature, cooling being resorted to. The re- 1 n sult is a yield of about 90% acrylic acid ethyl ester, which is purified. so I claim:

The process of producing acrylic acid esters, which consists in treating a beta halcgen propionic acid ester ofan aliphatic monohydro alcohol with alkali metal hydroxide in t e presence of alcohol.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALTER BAUER. 

